


No Mistake

by OfficerAerynSun



Category: Saving Hope (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Shamelessly shippy and self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 01:44:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23003767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfficerAerynSun/pseuds/OfficerAerynSun
Summary: Charlie and Alex's first kiss. From an old prompt on Tumblr.
Relationships: Charlie Harris/Alex Reid
Kudos: 4





	No Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the characters or the show. Obviously.

There was probably a moment when he could have stopped it. A split second when the rational mind he prided himself on could have done its job – protected him from impulsive decision-making. Maybe it was the moment his phone buzzed in his pocket, urging him back to reality. Or maybe it was the sight of a pair of nurses passing his office, familiar faces who could catch them in the act. It could have been when she tucked her hair behind her ear and uttered a good-night that didn’t feel as final as it should have.

But whatever his window of opportunity, Charlie didn’t take it. Reason, logic, good sense – they’d all flown out the window the moment she’d appeared in his office doorway, rumpled, tired – and quite possibly the best thing he’d ever seen.

This had become something of a ritual for them, though neither would admit it out loud. No, that would mean acknowledging what had been happening between them: the looks that lasted too long, the flimsy excuses to linger in each other’s company, the stupid smiles that seemed reserved for when the other entered a room. Oh, no. Some things they didn’t talk about. Ever. After all, the relationship between first year residents and married chiefs of surgery had very strict parameters….

But that didn’t stop their ritual. Any day they had a surgery together – which Charlie made sure was as often as possible – she would stop by at the end of her shift. On the surface, it was an innocent debrief of the day – a chance to go over what had gone well, what hadn’t, what could be improved. That’s what a mentor was for, right? But the conversation always strayed. One minute they’d be talking about the finer points of a knee chondroplasty, the next they’d be laughing at the story she told about the time her brother dared her to jump off the roof of their garage. Sometimes, when the hour got especially late, they’d open up a little more, sharing stories of bad relationships and crappy childhoods. Each newly-learned truth drew them deeper and deeper into the mess.

And it had quickly become his favorite part of the day. Going home meant facing reality. It meant sleeping on the couch as he rode out the final days of an already crumbled marriage. Here, with Alex, things were simple. Clear. Maybe clearer than they'd ever been.

Looking back, he would never quite figure out what it was about that night that put him over the edge. Their not-so-subtle meeting had been like any other. He made the same goofy jokes. She did the same little things that always drove him crazy – the way she’d sometimes bite her lip to hide a smile, the way the same strand of hair would always fall from her ponytail, the mischievous twinkle in her eyes when she teased him, how proud she looked when he complimented her work…. They all made Alex Alex – a deadly combination that had brought him to his knees since day one.

Maybe that was it. Maybe it had all just gotten to be too much. Maybe he’d always been just one bright smile away from throwing caution to the wind.

But, whatever the reason, tonight they stood close as she made some half-hearted excuse about needing to go home.

“I should get going. I want to do some studying before I pass out,” she said, looking up at him with the ghost of a smile – still making no move to leave.

Charlie nodded. “Yeah.” He cleared his throat, trying to ignore the fact that she was close enough that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his cheek. “The boss’ll be pissed if you’re late tomorrow,” he added with a smile of his own.

She gifted him with a laugh. “Well, he's a hard-ass. But I’m sure I’ll think of some way to make it up to him.” Her grin grew wider and she gave a little shrug. There was mischief twinkling behind her eyes. “I can be very persuasive when I want to be…”

He knew that wasn’t an invitation – not a conscious one anyway. It was a tease, the kind of quiet flirtation they’d been dancing around for months. But, god, as they stood in his dimly lit office, oblivious to the realities that lay beyond the door, he couldn’t help but take it as encouragement. He’d been an inch away from this moment for way too long…

And so before his better judgement could get in the way – he closed what little distance there was between them and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her stiffen – a sudden moment of surprise at the bold move. But clearly it didn’t last long. The next thing he knew, her body relaxed against him, her mouth opening to his. Oh god. His head was spinning already. She tasted sweeter than he’d expected – something uniquely her beneath the hint of toothpaste and stale breakroom coffee. He needed to be closer, needed more of whatever it was about her that set his heart pounding. One hand wound itself into her hair as the other sought her waist, drawing her in further. He was practically holding on for dear life when she moaned into his mouth, trailing her fingers up his chest. She was in as deep as he was.

He couldn’t have said how long the kiss lasted. Hell, for all he knew it could only have been a few seconds. But it ended naturally, their lips slowly – reluctantly – parting. Breath mingled as their gazes met. The room was silent save for the sound of pounding heartbeats. She wore the same dazed look he did and for a moment, neither of them could move.

But reality couldn’t be held at bay forever. As he looked at her, he could see the moment she realized just what had happened – the moment the magnitude of it, how wrong it was, crashed down on her. Her eyes went wide and her hands dropped from his shoulders. He felt the loss of her touch like a bucket of ice water down his neck.

“Charlie…” she breathed, taking a step back. “We shouldn’t have…. This was a –”

“Don’t,” he interrupted emphatically. His voice was rough. Like somewhere during their kiss, he’d forgotten how to use it. “Don’t say it was a mistake.” His own words surprised him. Logically he knew this was wrong – but he’d thrown logic out the window a long time ago where she was concerned. “You know it wasn’t a mistake.”

She opened her mouth as if to say more, but whatever it was – an argument or agreement – caught in her throat. She drew in a steadying breath and fumbled for her bag. It was like a twisting stab to his gut. He knew she was right – it was for the best that she get out of there, before this went farther. But watching her back away, nervously smoothing the hair he’d mussed, hurt more than it should.

“I really have to go,” she said, voice wavering, trying not to meet his eye. “I’ll see you in the morning, Dr. Harris.”

And with that, she was gone, and he was alone. The office was still and silent – almost like none of it had happened at all. Charlie stood dazed as she disappeared around the corner, rooted to the spot.

Maybe he should have felt guilty about kissing her. Maybe he should have been scared or panicked. But as he stared at the spot where she’d stood moments before, he couldn’t. All he could feel was her hands on him, her mouth beneath his. He could still taste her chapstick on his lips. He was her boss, he was married, she was so much younger – all sound reasons to pretend this never happened raced through his head.

But none of them mattered.

Things had changed, now. And, for all the hell it would probably cause, he wasn’t prepared to let it go. He knew that now.

He couldn’t let her go.


End file.
